Plastiras Dam
Encyclopedia
The Plastiras Dam is a concrete
arch dam
in Karditsa Prefecture
, Greece
that blocks Tavropos (Megdovas) River flow, effectively creating an artificial lake respectively called the Lake Plastiras
.
, a Greek General and Politician who was the first to visualize the construction of a reservoir in the Agrafa
area as soon as 1925. He later boosted the efforts while serving as a Prime Minister, but did not live to see the construction of the dam.
Plastiras Dam is an arched dam made of concrete, blocking a narrow point known as Kakavakia. The dam is elevated 795 m (2,608.3 ft) from sea level. It stands 83 m (272.3 ft) high and has a crest width of 220 m (721.8 ft). Its overall volume is 100×103 m³.
and the surrounding villages. Moreover the dam is equipped with two hydroelectric turbines that have a capacity of 130MW. Despite the original fears, the formation of the artificial lake is believed to be one of the few cases where the landscape was actually improved. The lake itself is a tourist attraction in Greece.The local economy was boosted since the 1980s due to visitors and many of the abandoned villages in the area have been revived.
The benefits of the use of the lake as a tourist attraction are so vast that the authorities have decided to limit the use of the reservoir for irrigation and electricity production purposes.
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
arch dam
Arch dam
An arch dam is a type of dam that is curved and commonly built with concrete. The arch dam is a structure that is designed to curve upstream so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, compressing and strengthening the structure as it pushes...
in Karditsa Prefecture
Karditsa Prefecture
Karditsa is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Thessaly. Its name is derived from its capital Karditsa, a small city of approximately 35,000 people.-Geography:...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
that blocks Tavropos (Megdovas) River flow, effectively creating an artificial lake respectively called the Lake Plastiras
Lake Plastiras
Lake Plastiras also called Tavropos Reservoir is an artificial lake fed by Tavropos river, located in Karditsa Prefecture, near the city of Karditsa, Greece.-Name:...
.
Name
The dam is named after Nikolaos PlastirasNikolaos Plastiras
Nikolaos Plastiras was a Greek general and politician, who served thrice as Prime Minister of Greece. A distinguished soldier and known for his personal bravery, he was known as "O Mavros Kavalaris" during the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922...
, a Greek General and Politician who was the first to visualize the construction of a reservoir in the Agrafa
Agrafa
Agrafa is a mountainous region in Evrytania and Karditsa prefectures in mainland Greece, consisting mainly of small villages. It is the southernmost part of the Pindus range...
area as soon as 1925. He later boosted the efforts while serving as a Prime Minister, but did not live to see the construction of the dam.
Background
Tavropos River was known in the area for causing constant flooding. In late 1920s the idea of "constrainng" the river flow was adopted by the incumbent Minister for Agriculture, but was met with opposition by both his political rivals and locals. Some of the concerns were the overall cost of the building and the impact a reservoir would have to the landscape. After the Second World War, the idea was revived by Prime Minister Nikolaos Plastiras and was also adopted by the Power Corporation. The Power Corporation included the construction of a dam in the area in its effort to electrify the Country. Numerous studies on the project where presented and in 1953 the French Omniun Lyonnais won the international contest for the construction of the Dam.Construction and specifications
The building was officially founded on December 14, 1955, and the construction lasted for almost five years. The dam was dedicated on October 30, 1960.Plastiras Dam is an arched dam made of concrete, blocking a narrow point known as Kakavakia. The dam is elevated 795 m (2,608.3 ft) from sea level. It stands 83 m (272.3 ft) high and has a crest width of 220 m (721.8 ft). Its overall volume is 100×103 m³.
Local impact
The dam and the formed reservoir are protecting both the mountainous region of East Agrafa and the Plains of Karditsa from flooding. As a reservoir it provides irrigation water to the area and is also used to supply fresh water to the city of KarditsaKarditsa
Karditsa is a city in western Thessaly in mainland Greece. The city of Karditsa is the capital of Karditsa peripheral unit.Inhabitation is attested from 9000 BCE. Karditsa ls linked with GR-30, the road to Karpenisi, and the road to Palamas and Larissa...
and the surrounding villages. Moreover the dam is equipped with two hydroelectric turbines that have a capacity of 130MW. Despite the original fears, the formation of the artificial lake is believed to be one of the few cases where the landscape was actually improved. The lake itself is a tourist attraction in Greece.The local economy was boosted since the 1980s due to visitors and many of the abandoned villages in the area have been revived.
The benefits of the use of the lake as a tourist attraction are so vast that the authorities have decided to limit the use of the reservoir for irrigation and electricity production purposes.